


Feral

by Heartsprout (graygryphon)



Series: Feral Hunters AU [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Blind!Ray, Developing Relationship, Discrimination, Feral Hunters AU, Hurt Michael, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, It Gets Better, Language Barrier, M/M, Minecraft, Minor Violence, Miscommunication, Not As Heavy As It Sounds, Story Related Slurs, hurt ryan, shock collar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-12 15:41:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7112110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graygryphon/pseuds/Heartsprout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael is alone, hurt and hungry</p>
<p>Only he chooses the wrong campfire to try pinch a meal from</p>
<p>After being overpowered by a group of men intolerant of thieves, he finds himself a prisoner being led to an unknown place with the intentions of being put to work as a slave</p>
<p>Only the man with the gentle green eyes has kindness in his gaze</p>
<p>Hopefully michael will have a chance of freedom with his help</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Based on the Minecraft AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Metal Bites Hard

**Author's Note:**

> Another AU i'm going to be writing alongside my others. I have too many ideas all at once, and if i wait till i've finished the others then i'll never get to them
> 
> go forth

Michael wandered through the trees, stumbling every few steps but never completely falling over.

The pain in his back was _hell_ , swallowing up his mind till he could barely focus.

The bottle weighed against his side, the pale red contents sloshing around with his movements.

It was clearly not worth it; getting caught off guard and being slashed across the shoulders for a simple health potion.

He rumbled deep in his chest, angry at himself for the stupid decision to take on those nomads for such a small prize. He had realised too late they were poison clan, their splash potions wearing him down and letting them get the upper hand.

He had managed to get away though, and now he could barely focus on his surroundings enough to work out what direction he was heading.

The trees parted and he found himself at the edge of a clearing. Simple huts sat squatting around the edge, and a fire pit sat in the centre of the area.

He didn’t know who lived here, had no idea if they were kind merchants or gruff hunters.

He was about to slip back into the trees when he saw the fish.

A frame was built over the fire, and smoked fish dangled above the smouldering embers.

_He was starving_

He took In the campsite to the best of his abilities, dazed vision struggling to see with just the glow of the fire in the night's darkness.

_If he didn’t eat he would need a hell of a lot more than simple potion_

It was decent odds in his mind, so crouching low he began to move towards the food, looking around with quick darts of his eyes to try catch any threats.

He made it to the fire, glancing around at the huts. They were dark and silent, the owners probably away on a mob hunt.

He licked his chapped lips, tentatively reaching towards the fish.

“ _Got cha, thief!_ ”

Michael roared at the pain that flared at the base of his spine, legs going numb and dumping him to the rough ground below.

He whipped his head around, desperately searching for his attacker, and felt his stomach drop at the sight of three massive figures looming over him. He snarled, trying to reach for the knife in his boot.

He was struck across the face, pain flaring in his temple as colours danced behind his eyes.

“Get him up! Hold him still!”

Michael struggled to understand the voices, unfamiliar with the language they were using as rough hands grabbed his arms and dragged him to his knees, holding his arms out taut as another hand grabbed his hair and yanked his head back.

“Un…hand…Mogar!” he roared with his limited knowledge of the dialect, panting and trying to drag his arms free.

A face hovered inches from his, hard grey eyes staring into his. He was beyond dizzy, the attackers strikes and his wound from the nomads taking his energy from him.

“What’s this eh?” the grey eyed man asked, taking hold of Michael's potion and swiftly cutting it from the strap with a blade.

“That… mine!” Michael growled, grunting as the hand in his hair yanked his head right back, exposing his throat to their mercy.

“Looks like some kind of health potion” another attacker said “low quality, but worth holding on to”

“Let… Mogar…go!” he snarled, then choked on his breath as he was hit solidly in his gut.

“No good _feral_. Probably raised by bears” the man who had previously spoken said, tugging on Michael hood. He recognised the word ‘bear’, and guessed that ‘feral’ was some kind of slur for his people.

“What do you think, Jack?”

“Hmmm; I don’t agree with killing him. We can take him back with us though, might find something to put him to work on”

Michael knew ‘kill’

He took another chance at pulling himself free, but his head swam and he let out a weak noise he would rather have not let them hear.

“Wow; I must've’ hit him harder than I realised” the grey eyed man chuckled, then said “I guess we can take him with us”

Michael’s breath was heaving with exhaustion, eyes barely open and head only held up by the man’s grip in his hair.

“Tie him up behind my hut. We’ll get a proper look at him tomorrow” grey eye said, letting Michael's head drop free and  then moving away.

Michael let himself be dragged away, legs still useless as he felt the warmth of the fire dissipate and the cold of the night air cling to his skin. He was shoved roughly against a stone wall, one man holding him while another bound his wrists behind his back and a heavy iron collar was clasped around his neck.

“Let…go” he breathed, desperate now as the cold metal pressed down on his clavicle.

“That should be good enough. Let’s go get some sleep before the trek tomorrow”

The voices drifted away and Michael was left leaning heavily against the cold wall. He shivered, collar digging into his flesh as his head hung forward.

The blows from his captors and the slash across his back stung, Michael being aware of the wound oozing blood under his hood again after being opened again during the struggle. Only this time he had no potion to close it up.

He was only aware of his muscles trembling and his breath wheezing for a while, until heard quite shuffling somewhere nearby.

He tried to lift his head, but his meagre attempts only made the collar bite his skin when his head immediately flopped back down.

“Don’t move” a voice spoke, and though he only understood the basics of the command, it was spoke gently and with some other tone to it.

Concern?

“Oh, look at you” the voice breathed with concern, the owner at his same height and right in front of Michael “you look half dead”

The word ‘dead’ made him panic, understanding the word and disassociating it from the tone of voice.

He barely managed a wheeze of warning, pulling feebly at his wrist bindings. The voice hushed him urgently, hands coming up and resting gently on either side of his face. Michael was confused to feel them covered by fabric that wasn’t gloves.

“It’s ok, I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry they did this, but hunting didn’t go so well and Geoff can get a little pent up if he doesn’t gank something every so often”

Michael didn’t understand what the male was saying, but his tone was soothing and reassuring, the hands gently brushing back his hair.

Michael whimpered, trying to appeal for this person to free him, but the man made no motions to do so.

“Hang in there. We’re heading back to our real camp tomorrow. I’ll try to convince Geoff to let you go free on the way”

Michael was more unconscious than not, the man’s voice easing him under with his gentle whispered words.

Michael hoped the sleep would give him back some strength.

\--

A sharp tug on the collar wrenched Michael into consciousness, crying out as the metal cut into his skin.

His eyes flew open to see a man with eyes bluer than the sky grinning down at his with a dark smile, holding the chain attached to the collar.

“Up and attem’, sleeping beauty. Time to go”

Every muscle in Michael's body was stiff and aching, his head throbbing as he was dragged forward onto his knees and then struggled to his feet.

His mind was foggy, minimal energy gained from the uneasy sleep. Blue eye had a dark look in his eye as he led Michael along behind him into the camp clearing, Michael taking in the sight of three men preparing horses and packing up their gear.

Amongst them was grey eye, a man with generous facial hair and strange markings over his arms that led under his rudimentary armour.

Another man had an even greater beard of ginger, wary eyes regarding Michael from under a glass visor.

The third was considerably more small and thin, most of his body covered in clothing of green, a hood hiding most of his face a long sleeves dangling over his hands and half way to the dirt.

_He must be the one who came to michael last night_

The green man’s eyes had kindness and concern in them, and Michael was confused when he realised his outfit was designed to resemble a member of the boom mob.

“He looks pretty weak now that I can actually see him, do you think he’ll survive the journey?” the copper haired man asked, eyeing Michael doubtfully.

Michael snarled at the mention of ‘weak’, one of the few words he understood.

“He either lives or he doesn’t. Hook him to my saddle” grey eye said, sniffing at Michael unimpressed and turning back to his work.

Michael let out an involuntary noise at the harsh tug blue eye gave to the chain.

He was wearing a drape of fabric over his shoulder that Michael had seen before worn by a member of the people known as the ‘Mad clan’. They were magic users from a distant land who had their minds twisted by the dark sorcery over centuries.

Michael would have to keep an eye on this man.

He was led over to grey eye’s horse, the chain clipped into a loop on the back of the saddle. Blue eye gave him another dark grin as he headed away to his own horse.

Michael fought against his body’s weakness, refusing to let the captors see his knees shake with exhaustion and refusing to give in to the need to kneel down on the ground and rest.

The whole time green eye would take small looks at him while he prepped his own steed, facial expression hard to read with the fabric covering his nose and mouth. Michael didn’t have enough words to communicate with these people; he hoped green eye would try help him when he was unable help himself.

Eventually the men mounted their horses, grey eye giving the reins a sharp crack. Michael grunted as the horse pulled forward, tugging on his chain and drawing him into motion behind the beast.

It wasn’t long before Michael was panting, staggering behind the party and trying not to drop and be dragged along. He wouldn’t put it past grey eye to not stop for him if he did. His wound was seeping blood down his back, his energy seeping with it.

The men rode side by side, talking amongst themselves out of earshot for Michael.

Green eye would glance back occasionally, and at one stage he said something to grey eye who also took a look back at Michael, regarding him coldly.

Michael bared his teeth in a snare, determined to not expose himself despite his struggle to merely walk.

The sun was beating down hot high in the noon sky, and Michael could barely lift his head, chin resting against the metal on his collar. He just keep moving, kept hoping for a break.

All he could hear was his blood rushing in his ears, and it was a small pebble that finally brought him crashing down.

“Stop!”

“Gavin-“

“He needs to rest! I know you aren’t _that_ heartless, Geoffrey”

Michael whimpered as gentle hands began to roll him onto his side, but then the man he assumed was green eye paused.

“He’s bleeding!”

“What? What did you do, Ryan?”

“Hey; I didn’t touch him…”

“It’s all down his back!”

Michael felt his hood being lifted away from his back, letting out a small noise as the pelt stuck to the wound slightly.

“Oh my god, when did this happen!”

“Must have been before he tried to steal our fish”

“Give me a potion!”

“What?! I’m not wasting my potions on a _feral_ ”

“This is probably why he tried to steal food in the first place; he was too weak to hunt anything”

“You aren’t actually sympathising with it, are you Jack?”

“Shut up Ryan and give Gavin a potion”

Michael let out a pained groan as he was repositioned onto his back, an arm cradling his head and shoulders, another hand pressing to his forehead.

The sound of bottles clinking together came from nearby, and then cool glass was pressed to Michael lips.

He pressed his mouth shut, not knowing what was trying to be fed to him after understanding none of the men’s conversations from his poor understanding and foggy brain.

“It’s ok, it’s good. It will help”

Green eye’s voice was calm and soothing in Michael's ear, the glass pressing again to his lips.

Either it would kill him and put him out of his misery, or heal him and do the same. Michael was fine with either result right now.

He let his lips be parted and felt the sweet liquid slip over his dry tongue, pooling in the back of his throat and slipping down to his belly as he swallowed weakly.

He immediately felt a warmth spreading through him, letting out a relieved groan as the pain piercing every part of his body began to slowly melt away.

“he needs to rest”

“Gavin, we have to get back before dark-”

“He needs to rest” green eye repeated, voice now solid and unwavering, daring grey eye to test his patience.

There was a sigh and then green eye was reaching over Michael to free his arms.

“The collar stays” came a gruff command, Michael understanding ‘collar’ and what the voice had meant when green eye didn’t free him from it.

Michael was eased onto his back, only feeling slight discomfort from the healing wound. Whatever potion he had been given was significantly better than the one he had stolen, but he could tell it would take some time to completely revive him.

Footsteps approached and then someone knelt beside Michael's head, lifting it slightly and placing a soft wad of some kind of fabric under it while green eye’s smaller hands pulled Michael’s hood away from under him.

Michael rested under the warm sun, feeling the tension seep from his muscles and the strength return to his bones.

Green eye sat beside him while he rested, talking quietly to Michael despite him understanding very little of it. He wondered if green eye knew he didn’t speak their dialect fluently, or even passingly. But Michael listened, trying to pick up on words used together often and work out what they meant.

“You have a nice voice” he said in his own tongue, his voice quiet but satisfyingly stronger than the previous day. He felt green eye start at the sound of Michael speak, cutting off mid-sentence in surprise.

“Are you awake?” green eye asked.

“I’m certainly not asleep” Michael said, using his own language again. He doubted green eye (or any of them for that matter) spoke a word of his language, but he used it anyway.

Michael eased his eyes open, cautious of the bright sun beating down at him. He took in the sight of green eye looking down at him with concern in his eyes.

“Are…you…good?” green eye asked, speaking slowly to try communicate with Michael best in his language.

“Am…better” Michael breathed, and then slowly tried to push up to a sitting position. Green eye looked even more concerned for a second at the sight of Michael moving, but then helped the weakened man, a hand on Michael's back to help support him.

Michael had almost forgotten he was wearing the collar, the pressure sitting heavily around his neck now. He followed the chain with his eyes over to where a diamond pick axe had been struck into he ground, the end loop of the chain being pinned to the ground by it.

A few feet away under a tree sat blue eye, the piercing circles of colour watching Michael with a hawk like gaze.

Michael glared at him before turning the other way to see grey eye and copper hair taking under a tree, sipping from fat water skins.

Michael licked his bone dry lips, green eye seeing this.

“Oh! You must be so thirsty!” he suddenly said, scrambling over to his horse and returning with his own water skin.

He popped the stopper out and held it towards Michael, who didn’t hesitate to grab it and bring it to his lips, desperately gulping down the fresh water like a beached fish.

He heard green eye make a muffled noise, and Michael looked up confused. He couldn’t see green eye’s mouth, but his eyes were scrunched up in that way that indicated the man had laughed.

Michael hadn’t seen such a kind sight in so long.

“Do I amuse you?” he asked in his tongue, a small smile playing on his own mouth to show green eye his words had been kind. Green eye was confused, but just laughed again.

“I’m sorry, I hope I don't sound rude, you look funny chugging water like that” he giggled.

“Chug…ging?” Michael asked

“Drink fast” green eye explained, mimicking the look Michael must have made.

Michael laughed at how stupid the man looked doing it, and then despite wanting more water handed the skin back.

“I’m Gavin, by the way” the man said, putting the stopper back in the skin “me Gavin”

“Gavin” Michael tested the name “am called Mogar” he replied. It was the best translation of his name he could muster using their sounds.

“Your name is Mogar?” Gavin asked, eyes pinching as he smiled. Michael frowned at Gavin's covering that hid his smile, reaching out and gently touching the fabric.

“Why…wear…this?” he asked.

Michael saw Gavin’s smile fall from his eyes.

“It’s of my people” he said, reaching up and feeling the fabric between his fingers “My clan”

“Clan” Michael said, knowing the word “Mogar know of this”

Michael could see something in Gavin's eyes, a sadness.

Michael recognised it.

“If he has energy to chat, he has energy to walk” grey eyes voice boomed across the area, and the two men turned to look at him as he moved over to his horse.

“His name is Mogar” Gavin said “He’s not that bad, Geoff”

_Geoff_ Michael thought. It must be grey eye’s name.

“Oh good; now they are best friends” blue eye sneered, rolling his eyes as he got up.

“Shut up, Ryan” Gavin rumbled

“Get him up; let’s go” Geoff commanded, mounting his horse again. Blue eye, _Ryan_ , moved over and pulled the axe from the ground, picking up the chain as Gavin helped Michael to his feet and returned his hood to him.

The potion Gavin had given his had revived him greatly, but he would need to rest again before dark to bridge that last gap of weariness.

Michael growled as Ryan approached him, but stopped when Gavin put a hand on his shoulder. It didn’t stop him from glaring as Ryan rebound his hands behind his back.

“Hang in there, Mogar, we’ll be home soon” Gavin whispered before moving over to his own horse and climbing up into the saddle.

_Home_

Michael felt a knot of emotion in his gut.

Anger at being slaved away to some unknown place.

Caution for what would be awaiting him there

And pain

_Home_

He knew this word, but hadn’t felt its meaning in many moons.

“Let's move out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to add the link to the designs for Michael and Gavin's outfits!
> 
> http://heart-sprout.tumblr.com/post/145493854929/my-feral-children-non-feral-designs


	2. Five Stalls, Five Dwellings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not entirely happy with how this fic feels so dark right now, but i know its going to not stay like that for so long
> 
> i'm just a little stuck in mean geoff and ryan space rn, and i'm impatient to get to the part when they aren't massive assholes
> 
> there is a rhyme and reason to this madness, its just gon take time to get there
> 
> go forth

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky and cast long shadows across the ground Michael saw it

A spiralling staircase that reached far into the sky, a look out platform high at the top.

It looked impossibly thin for its height, the centre support the same thickness the whole way up. He could only assume it had been made with enchanted tools or materials, casting a glance at the back of Ryan’s head.

He was really beginning to feel the weariness return to his body as the ground beneath them transitioned into a well-trodden dirt path through the trees, and he hoped both the tower and the path were indicative that they were close to their destination.

Eventually the trees broke and a vast clearing stretched before them, an obviously man made area of no trees. In the centre of the area was the tower, and around it was a circle of permanent dwellings, each built in a different size and shape and of different materials.

The party headed over to the left of the dwellings, and Michael noticed another building further away that was broken into separate open stalls, only one horse occupying a space.

_Five stalls with one occupied. Five dwellings and four men riding before him_

_There was another person in their group_

The men dismounted beside the stalls, Ryan taking Geoff's horse while Geoff held onto Michael chain, not even paying attention to him.

Michael let a puff of air out of his nose, furious at how little regard the man had for Michael’s existence.

When the horses had been put into their stalls the party headed towards the circle of dwellings, Michael still trailing behind and using the groups disinterest with watching him to scope out the area and its features.

Torches were set of wooden staffs that jut out of the ground all over the area, most likely to ward off mobs during the nights. A collection of small shacks huddled on the opposite side of the area from the stable, a few slabs of meat drying on racks outside of them, leading Michael to think they might be storehouses for food.

They headed into the centre of the house circle, and Michael took a good look at the buildings, almost instantly able to place them to the owners

The tallest one built of smooth smelted stone was almost _definitely_ Geoff's, probably that tall as a sign of his power or something to that effect.

Beside that was a simple wooden cottage with glass windows and it even had gems inlaid around the door frame. It was probably copper hair’s (Jack being the only name Michael hadn’t directly put to a face so he guessed it belonged to this man)

Jack looked like he had probably spent time as a miner, small coloured lenses on posable wires attached to his visor that were probably to help with identifying a gem or mineral. This would also explain the decorations on his house.

Next to this building was a rather small and squat building made of a black stone that Michael hadn’t seen that often but he identified as _obsidian_. To have collected enough to make a building even that small would definitely take enchanted tools, and aside from that there was an eerie feeling coming off of this house that made Michael confident it was Ryan's.

Next to this was another simple cottage, but this one was made of cobblestone and more flat and angular that the wood house’s rounded shapes and slanted roof. This one was Gavin's.

And then beside that was the house of the unknown group member. It was formed out of dirt, with vines crawling and growing over it, vibrant red roses blossoming in the dozens.

And sat on a small bench and facing the other direction as they tended the flowers was this member.

“Come look at what we found, Ray” Geoff announced, and the stranger perked slightly before their head turned slightly.

“That continues to not be funny, Geoff” the man said, and then turned on the bench to face the approaching men.

Michael lost his frustration at not understanding their words as he took in the clouded grey eyes of the rose man, the shadow of his hat not seeming to darken his eyes with shade.

“We found this feral trying to steal our food, so he’s more or less our property now” Ryan declared nonchalantly, continuing to move toward the rose man while the rest of the men stopped a few feet away.

Michael didn’t understand the word ‘property’, but he didn’t like it at all the way Ryan had spoken it.

He watched as Ryan moved over and sat down beside the blind man, taking his hand and resting his chin on the man's shoulder. The blind man smiled, nuzzling Ryan's cheek with his nose.

_They are mates_

Michael was more surprised that someone as dark and mean as Ryan had found a mate in a person who felt as calm and gentle as the blind man did, a person who surrounded themselves with delicate flowers despite not being able to see them.

“He doesn’t _feel_ feral” the man said, looking back to Michael with unseeing eyes “are you sure, Ryan?”

“He was injured badly, he was just trying to stay alive” Gavin defended, looking back at Michael with a smile “his name is Mogar”

“Mogar” the rose man pondered, slowly standing and moving towards Michael without even a hint of not knowing his way.

The hair on the back of Michael neck stood on end as he approached, cautious and on guard despite not sensing an immediate threat from the man.

“He’s wearing a bear skin, it was probably his mother or something” Ryan sneered, seeming slightly uneasy with his mate approaching Michael.

“He doesn’t speak our language all that well” Gavin said, coming to stand beside Michael and shooting Ryan and quick glare.

The blind man stopped within arm’s reach of Michael, who tugged at his wrist bindings, his instinct to defend himself becoming a little desperate with his underhand in the situation.

“Stop it” Geoff rumbled, yanking on the chain and making Michael grunt and stagger forward a small step, bringing him closer to the blind man.

“It’s ok” the man spoke, hands held palm up as a universal sign of peace and openness. Michael still watched him cautiously.

“Free Mogar” he said with a hard tone, hoping this man would also be on his side with Gavin.

“My name is Ray” the man spoke “I don’t think you are feral, are you?”

“Am not feral” Michael snarled, struggling to understand Ray’s neutral tone.

“He’s still hurt” Ray said openly “or rather weary. You have pushed him too hard, Geoff”

“So I’ll give him to you then” Geoff said “Ryan always goes on about getting you a guide dog, and you can push him as hard as you see fit”

“What?!” Ryan roared “Ray is _not_ going to have a _feral_ hanging around him. The beast will try to kill him!”

“Suck my fucking cock you asshole” Michael spat at him in his own language, sick of being called a feral.

“What did you say?” Ryan spat angrily, stalking towards Michael but halting when Ray raised a hand. The man was still watching Michael, making him wonder if Ray actually could see something based on how intently he was holding Michael gaze with his own.

There was a moment of silence, Michael’s gaze moving between Ray and Ryan, frustrated at obviously being kept out of a conversation about himself.

“Do you still have that wolf collar?” Ray finally asked, confusing Michael who he was still looking at.

“The shock one? Yeah. Why?” Ryan asked.

“You can’t put that on Mogar!” Gavin squawked, Michael quickly looking at him at the mention of his name and trying to figure out the situation with the man’s expression.

He didn’t like what he was picking up

“So long as he doesn’t try to run away he will be fine. It's better than letting Ryan run tests on him like cattle, or Geoff working him to death in the mines” Ray spoke to Gavin.

“I was thinking more as bait for mobs, but whichever works” Geoff commented idly

“What are words of?!” Michael roared angrily, glaring at Ryan and Geoff.

“Make up your minds, but I won’t be impressed if he’s a corpse by tomorrow” Jack spoke after being silent the whole time, moving away to his house.

Ryan was still fuming, thinking the decision over while Michael’s fury was building.

“ _You_ will work for _him_ ” Ryan glared at Michael, jabbing a finger at Michael and then at Ray “hurt him, I kill you” Ryan added.

Michael understood the gist, happy with the fact that he would be under the rule of the gentler man, but still boiling in his gut with anger at being a slave to these strangers.

“Good enough I guess” Geoff shrugged, moving over and pressing the chain into Ray’s hand while Ryan stalked away to his house.

Ryan was only inside for a moment before returning, carrying a leather collar with the unmistakable glow of enchantment.

Michaels gut flipped at the sight, its power unknown to him.

“If you disobey him, this will fry your puny brain, got it?” Ryan rumbled, roughly fastening it around Michael’s throat “he barely has to _think_ to make it drop you like a sack of potatoes”

“Collar hurt if Mogar not listen to Ray” Gavin tried to help explain, which did helped supplement what Michael had gained from Ryan's tone.

Ryan freed Michael from the heavy metal collar, the man shaking his head with relief as the weight was removed. Gavin freed Michael’s wrists as Geoff and Ryan headed away to Geoff’s dwelling, Michael rubbing feeling back into his wrists when he could finally bring his arms forward again.

He wanted nothing more than to gut the lot of them. He would spare Gavin, and maybe Ray, but Jack had been more indifferent than kind so he was still top of the list with Geoff and Ryan for Michael revenge.

“I am truly sorry, Mogar, there is no honour in your situation. But in time things might change” Ray said, and Michael let out a heavy sigh, torn and conflicted by the meaning he understood from Ray’s gentle words.

He reached up and brushed his fingers against the red leather, feeling energy crackle against his skin.

“He is tired; he can rest under the awning behind my house” Ray said to Gavin, who nodded. Ray bobbed his head to Michael before turning and heading into his home.

“Come, Mogar, I’ll show you where you can rest” Gavin said, a slightly sigh at the end.

Michael couldn’t figure Gavin out. He seemed so kind and gentle, so why the hell would he live with people like Geoff and Ryan.

Was he somehow a captive too? They obviously didn’t seem to value him as much as Ray, but he had shown he could get them to listen if he was stubborn enough.

Michael followed him around to the back of the dirt house, seeing a small wooden awning reaching out over a pile of hay. Gavin looked at it with a sad look.

“I’m sorry that this is the best I can offer you, Mogar. Perhaps tomorrow will have better opportunities” he said, Michael testing the straw with a foot. It was quite thick, significantly softer than the ground in a cave or a wide branch high in a tree. And right now he just wanted to sleep and have a moment’s respite.

He dropped down into it, hearing Gavin’s clothes rustle as he knelt down. Michael opened his eyes and looked up at Gavin as he rolled onto his back.

“Let’s run away from here. Take off this evil collar and I will defend you from these mad men” Michael said in his tongue, Gavin tilting his head to the side slightly in confusion.

“Hopefully we can figure out each other’s languages properly. It would be nice to get to know you properly” Gavin said, giving a small farewell smile before standing and heading away.

Michael let his eyes fall shut and tried to find the positive side of having a roof over his head for once while forcing back the knowledge that he had lost his freedom to experience it


	3. Cocoa Beans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO guess who posted this chapter on another fic without realising till i hit post
> 
> hahahdhhhasghgahhshadhahdhah
> 
> caught it instantly though, so bleh
> 
> sorry for not posting much this week, wrangling kids at theatre class takes so much energy that i don't have a whole lot of steam left to write before bed
> 
> but i had a free day today so voila
> 
> go forth

Michael rumbled as his mind restarted, dragging an armful of straw closer and burying into it deeper.

The air smelt crisp like early morning, bird song on the wind.

He sighed, one eye slipping open to take in the area.

Gentle morning light made the tree’s glow as it trickled through the leaves. A lone wolf sniffed around a tree on the border of the clearing a hundred meters away, pausing to look up at Michael for a moment before carrying on its foraging out of sight.

Michael heaved another sigh before getting to his feet and brushing the hay off his clothes, setting his hood right with the bears upper jaw and head sitting atop his.

He ran his fingers over the collar again, despising the unnatural energy that fizzed against his digits.

He wondered if it really could hurt him if he tried to run away, or if they had been bluffing and Ryan had only enchanted it enough to give that small sensation. But if the man really was from the mad clan then Michael wouldn’t put it past him to have actually fastened a deadly dog collar to him.

Michael let his fingers trail down from the collar to settle in the hoods fur where it connected over his collar bone. He drew the fur between his fingers. He remembered.

“I see you are already awake”

Michael turned his head to see Ray standing by the side of his house, a gentle smile on his face.

“Well, I obviously can’t _see_ that you are, but that’s the joke” he continued.

“I have no fucking idea what half that meant” Michael said in his tongue, then added “am ready, am work” in the common tongue of the group.

“We will be going into the woods, I need more cocoa beans. There’s rainforest bordering the dry forest to the east that we can get them from” Ray said, pointing vaguely without turning his head.

Michael understood the gist, he had traded some diamond for cocoa beans with a merchant once where he had learnt the word.

Merchants were pretty chill, not really having prejudices against groups of people to benefit the most from selling and buying wares from various places. The less you caused beef, the more money you could make.

“Cocoa beans, ok” Michael said, stepping over to Ray and following him back around to the centre of the huts.

The only other activity was Ryan standing in front of his house, stretching his arms and gazing up the lookout tower.

When Michael and Ray came into view, he looked down towards them and glared at Michael.

Oh _joy_

First chance he got Michael was going to kick Ryan’s ass so hard his ancestors would be able to taste his shoe.

“Morning rye-bread” Ray said cheerily as they approached, pushing up onto his toes so Ryan wouldn’t have to lean down so far to kiss him.

“Where are you going?” Ryan asked Ray with a calm voice, though he was eyeing Michael with dagger-like vision

Michael just gave him a sneered smile, flashing his teeth.

“Just going to get cocoa beans. Mogar can lead me” Ray said. Ryan's expression struggled for a minute.

“Ok, but don’t hesitate to drop his ass if needed” he finally said “if he steps even a _millimetre_ out of line-“

“Sure thing, if he so much as itches his nose...” Ray said with a veiled sarcastic tone before moving past Ryan and past towards the trees.

Michael and Ryan glared as they passed each other.

-

Michael could _not_ figure out Ray. Some moments it was like he could see as well as he could, and other times Michael would have to quickly guide him away from walking into a tree or tripping over a root system.

While they walked Ray would point out things and tell Michael their names in their common language, Michael repeating it back and sometimes adding his word. Ray would also repeat back what Michael offered, equally trying to understand Michael better.

Ray would also just talk in-between, chatting about whatever came to mind, Michael listening and tried to figure out the language even more. He thinks that might have been what Ray was trying to do; give him genuine experience of their dialect. Michael appreciated it.

By the time the sky was approaching its highest point they reached the biome split, the forest suddenly breaking into rainforest with thick foliage and tall towering trees.

“I’m right as always” Ray smiled, reaching out and resting his hand on the trunk of a tree.

“Beans?” Michael asked, looking up the trees for the brown baubles.

“Somewhere nearby; we shouldn’t have to go into the trees to find them” Ray said, turning to the left and following the edge of the new trees, Michael trailing behind while scoping for the beans.

It didn’t take long to catch sight of a collection of them high up a tree.

“There” Michael said, taking Ray’s arm and raising it up to point in their direction.

“I hope you can climb, Mogar” Ray said with a grin, stepping aside so Michael could pass him and approach the tree. He looked it up and down, satisfied with the grooves in the tree trunk and the vines climbing it that he could make it to the top with ease.

“Climb now” he said, before beginning his ascent, only taking a few short minutes to reach the pods and look them over. Very few were still not ripe for picking, but there were many prime ones, and he plucked them easily and carefully dropped them to the ground below so they wouldn’t hit Ray.

Despite only being a few meters away from Ray, Michael could feel that the collars sensation was buzzing ever so more, a gentle warning to the wearer. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but he didn’t doubt that it would take a whole lot if distance to really start stinging.

“That’s plenty” Ray called up “I heard enough drop, you can come down now”

Michael climbed down, pulling off his hood and collecting the pods up into it, pulling it into a sling and setting it over a shoulder.

“Any else?” Michael asked, wondering if Ray had any other plans for their trip into the trees.

“Nope, that was all I was after” Ray said, reaching out and patting Michael on the shoulder. He hadn’t even moved his eyes away from staring ahead. This was the kind of thing that made Michael confused.

“Can… see?” he asked as Ray led the way back through the woods. Ray smiled and shook his head.

“No, not even slightly”

“Con… confoo…” Michael struggled to remember the word

“Confused?” Ray asked, Michael nodding and cataloged the word for later

“I would be too. I’ve spent so long moving through these woods that I know most of it so well. Sometimes I forget bits and pieces, but I’m pretty able” Ray said “sound is a great help; you can locate people very easily from them speaking and breathing” he added, accurately reaching sideways to tap his knuckles on Michael's arm as if knocking on a door.

“Sound” Michael echoed, focusing on what he could hear amongst the trees.

“Your other senses strengthen to compensate, so I’m not as useless as Ryan sometimes thinks. I’m not going to shatter like glass” Ray said with a chuckle.

But the mention of Ryan made Michael glare into the trees.

“Ryan” he rumbled, his spare hand subconsciously reaching up to the collar. Ray’s smile dropped slightly.

“He isn’t as mean as he seems, which right now is _pretty_ mean” he breathed a sigh “he’s been a lot of places and seen a lot of things; I don’t think he completely understands how unfair he’s being”

“Unfair?!” Michael sneered, knowing the word, then slipping into his own tongue without realising “that man is horrid and apathetic, he has no consideration for me or who I am! He’s not being _unfair_ , he’s being pure _evil_ ” he snarled.

“Mogar”

“You didn’t see how he was dragging me around like a _dog_ before we reached your settlement! He was even treating Gavin like shit because he was merely _helping me_!”

“Mogar, you need to calm down”

“And now he’s collared me like a beast!” Michael roared, his hand gripping tight to his hood as he threw his other fist towards the nearest tree.

Only before it could connect a sharp strike of energy surged through him, Michael crying out as he dropped to his knees suddenly as his muscles flexed and pulled taut. 

The surge was over instantly, Michael panting as his muscles were able to relax again and he dropped forward onto his hands.

He could feel the sensation retreat back into the collar.

“Are you going to calm down and listen now?”

Michael looked up at Ray who was knelt beside him, eyes gazing unseeingly into his own.

“Listen” Michael agreed. He didn’t want to feel that again.

“I understand the rage you are feeling. I do. But I can’t do a whole lot about it right now” Ray said, voice even and stern.

“Are Ryan mate, tell Ryan stop” Michael said.

“It’s not that simple. When Ryan gets an idea, it’s not all that easy to break him away from it” Ray said, then looked down “I believe in time he will see the way his actions are wrong, but for now the easiest thing to do is just not cause trouble and prove to him you are more than he thinks”

They both sat there for a minute, Michael’s breath returning to normal as he studied Ray’s face and the strange look behind his clouded eyes.

Michael was used to being able to defend himself, used to being able to rely on his strength and skill with fighting to avoid situations. But this was a situation he couldn’t bite his way out of. Not with the collar in play.

“Ok” Michael sighed, bobbing his head even though Ray couldn’t see it.

“If you promise to be patient, I’ll promise to not shock you again” Ray said, pushing to his feet while Michael collected up the pods that had fallen out of the hood.

“No shock” Michael huffed, standing also and heading back through the trees with Ray.

“I honestly tried to make it as gentle as possible. I didn’t want you to hurt your fist and it was the first thing that came to mind. I’ve never used a mentally controlled enchantment before” Ray said.

“Seriously though, don’t fucking shock me again or I’ll piss in your shoes”

“I don’t know what you said, but fair enough”


	4. Clan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toot Toot, all aboard the angst train
> 
> go forth

Over the next two weeks Michael listens and learns, following Ray around and doing the tasks the man asks of him.

Michael is quickly picking up on their language, Ray happily helping him name things and understand conversational aspects while they tend his roses or search for mushrooms in the forest

When the sun goes down the party all collects around a fire pit to eat and talk, laughing at jokes that Michael is too slow to catch as their tongues seem to speak at miles a minute, listening anyway as he sits aside from the group.

Usually Gavin comes to sit with him, animatedly talking about things with words Michael couldn’t possibly hope to grasp.

Gavin was educated; he had probably read many books and seen many things.

He would try to explain his theories and hypotheticals to the best of his ability, and even when Michael stopped being able to understand he would nod and listen, enjoying the sound of Gavin's voice and the way it was muffled slightly by his scarf. He loved his energy and personality, his breathy and sometimes squeaky laugh and how there was so much passion in his eyes.

Long after the others went to sleep, they were sitting under Michael’s awning and listening to cricked chirp and zombies rumble in the trees, unable to come into the light.

Gavin had petered off on the topic he had been spieling about, getting sleepy and letting the night ambience carry the conversation for a while.

They were sat side by side, arms pressed together as the leaned on the back wall of Ray’s house.

“It’s nice here at night. So quiet” Gavin commented after a few minutes, resting his head back against the wall.

“Yeah I guess” Michael agreed, scratching his chin absently. He was used to quiet places, never venturing into busy cities or kingdoms. But it was extra peaceful here with the forest pushed back.

“Then again, you are probably use to not spending time around other people. I came from quite a large village, but you were lone before we found you” Gavin said.

Michael’s head tipped forward ever so slightly, letting his hood cast shadow over his face. His usual reaction to things he didn’t want to talk about; push it down and keep moving.

But Gavin caught the motion, turning his head to look at him with questioning brows.

“What’s wrong Mogar?” he asked, lifting his head away from the wall.

“Nothing, only thinking” Michael sighed, not even realising he tipped his head forward more.

“Did I say something wrong?’ Gavin asked, dipping his head down to try see through the shadows obscuring his companion's face.

“It ok” Michael said, a slight hard edge to his voice in hopes of making Gavin drop it.

Gavin is too damn persistent.

“Mogar, we are friends, I want to know if I upset you” Gavin said, reaching his far hand to rest it on Michael’s shoulder.

He shrugged it off, pushing up and taking a few steps away, facing out to the trees. His hands had curled into fists, rough nails digging into his palms.

_Lone_

He could hear Gavin padding up quietly behind him, cautious and confused.

“Mogar?”

“I was not Lone. Not always. Only new”

“You mean recently?”

Michael nodded. Gavin hesitated a second.

“I… Ryan said your people were solitary, I just assumed-“

“You all assume!” Michael snapped, turning to the other man and taking another step away despite the collar buzzing a faint warning “you all assume Mogar is _feral_ , is beast!”

“I never-“

“You not fight for me! You let Ryan collar Mogar and call me _feral_ , let Geoff keep me away from fire, in cold”

“Mogar…

“Because why fight for beast!” Michael shouted the last one, beating his fists against his chest.

Gavin was startled, making a small noise and flinching. Michael saw fear in his eyes for a moment and felt his anger subside significantly.

If Ryan could put a collar on Michael, who’s to say he couldn’t treat Gavin the same. If the mad enchanter could create things like the collar, maybe Gavin was just as cautious of what else he might have hidden in his house, was too afraid to stand up against him.

Michael sighed, shoulders sagging as he turned his head to gaze out into the trees.

“Mogar had clan. Had family. Gentle people, wise people. Lived in harmony with the land, not build sharp buildings of stone and metal” he said, feeling Gavin's interest pique through the air

“We wrote, and sing, and dance. We were happy” Michael’s brow’s dipped together “and then they found us”

“We were deep in forest, high in mountains. Few people know of us. Greedy king discover us and want our land, want our women to cook his food and our men to fight his enemies. He did not ask, he just took”

Michael felt Gavin reach out and ever so gently take hold of Michael’s forearm, squeezing softly.

“Few of us get away, hide and wait. We lost our knowledge, our culture. Become wild while king get fat on our fruit. We try to take back, to return to land of great-fathers before us. We take small things and hide them, return them to the land. We set his horses’ free and open gate to cows. We hide things we find, make it seem like the land is angry with him. Not work”

“He find out it us; he hunt us. Send dogs and knights. Let them tear our flesh and spill our blood. No choice but to leave, to run to distant land and maybe start again”

Michael’s fist was so tight he could feel pricks of pain where his nails broke the skin

“He spread lies. Say we steal, say we _kill_. Mogar’s clan looked down upon, hated and mean to. Say we are _feral_ ”

Michael rumbled the slur, teeth grinding together as he tried to force it all back, tried to keep the memories untainted by pain. He needed to remember.

“Mogar…” Gavin breathed, stepping closer slightly and wrapping his arms around Michael’s one, hugging it close and pressing his forehead to Michael’s shoulder.

Michael turned his head to look at him, surprised and confused. Gavin lifted his head to meet Michael’s eyes.

“I’ve never thought you were feral. Even when we first met you; you were only trying to survive in a world that was cruel to you…” Gavin trailed off, eyes glistening.

Michael’s mouth opened slightly, watching the tear roll down Gavin's cheek.

“You know Mogar’s pain” he breathed. Gavin’s eyes scrunched in a sad smile.

“All here are lost. we've all experienced pain” he tried to avoid. but michael could see the memories in gavin's eyes.

Michael reached up, holding Gavin's cheek in his hand. Gavin watched him wide eyed, hand coming up to rest over Michael’s.

“I don’t feel so lost when I’m with you” Michael said softly in his own tongue.

“Mogar…” Gavin exhaled, not knowing his words but understanding his meaning behind them. Michael turned his body to the younger man, pressing their foreheads together and sharing their breaths for a few still moments, Gavin clinging to Michael’s shirt through his long hanging sleeves.

Michael had never seen any part of Gavin's actual body except the exposed upper half of his face, and he wondered what was under the layers of clothes.

He gazed into Gavin's eyes, warm brown meeting glass green, and felt like he had always known them.

“I want…” Michael said quietly, trailing off as he realised he didn’t know the word he was looking for, had never heard any of the people say it.

“What?” Gavin asked, eyes moving between Michael’s as if trying to help find the answer in them.

Michael didn’t know how to explain it, so he just gently reached up, cradling Gavin's jaw and running his thumb softly across his cheek, looking at where his coverings hid his lower face.

Gavin understood, and Michael could see conflict in his eyes.

“Mogar… I… I’m not sure” he said, reaching up and feeling his covering against his fingers “I wear these… m-my…”

Michael brushed his thumb against Gavin's cheek again, catching the lads gaze before letting his eyes slip shut.

He listened. Listened to Gavin's mouth open slightly and then close. Listened to the rustle as fabric pulled along skin.

Listened to his heart skip a beat as soft lips pressed to his.

He made a small needy noise, kissing Gavin back as their bodies pressed flush together. He revelled in the sweet taste of the other man and his quick pulse under Michael’s fingers.

He could feel the unmistakeable scarring of burns, twisting over the left side of his face, up over his throat and neck and across his jaw and mouth.

He could still felt the wet of Gavin's tears on his cheeks, brushing them away with his thumb and hoping he would never have to see him shed any more

He pulled back to steal a quick breath of air, hugging Gavin close and burying his forehead in his shoulder.

Gavin did the same, clinging to Michael like he would float off the earth if he didn’t, body trembling slightly.

“Sweet Gavin…” Michael spoke into his shoulder, nuzzling the coverings there “gentle Gavin…”

“If it wasn’t so cruel, I would wish you would never leave” Gavin breathed, Michael feeling him push his coverings back up before they pulled back slightly to look at each other.

“Gavin…”

“It’s horrible, but the only thing keeping you here is that collar” Gavin said, voice becoming strained as it was squeezed with emotion “it’s horrible, but if Ryan wasn’t keeping you here…”

“I…” Michael trailed off.

He wanted to say that he would stay, that he wouldn’t leave Gavin. But he didn’t know if that was true.

He would protect Gavin if he left  here with Michael, but he couldn’t make Gavin loose another clan. It was why the man stayed even though he had low status amongst the group; he had known loss before, and didn’t want to know it again.

He wanted to never have to leave Gavin, but he wanted to know freedom again, to find a place he belonged, to live and grow and thrive.

But he couldn’t thrive here, not with the way the older men had no care in their hearts for him.

“I will find us peace” was all he said, bringing Gavin close again as if he could wrap his soul around the man and hold him close forever.


	5. The Way He Would Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance
> 
> Go forth

The group hiked in general silence, moving single file through the trees with gear hiked up on their shoulders.

Geoff had announced they were going mining, a new tunnel having been broken through to on their last expedition.

Jack was the resident expert, having come from a mining colony that lived in ravines deep underground. He had an eye for finding gems and ore, so he would be head of the mission.

All six of them were going on the trip, Ray deciding he wanted to join them despite Ryan's reservations.

It still surprised Michael to see the tender look in Ryan's eyes when he looked at his mate, the way he would sit by the fire with their legs pressed together and was often seen standing behind Ray, nuzzling his shoulder or neck.

The way Ray smiled when he did it.

They made it to the mouth of the mine, a tunnel that carried deep into the earth, lit torches pinned in to the walls the whole way down past Michael’s vision.

As they started down the roughly dug stairs, Michael moved to help Ray but was cut off my Ryan, the man sticking an arm out between them and eyeing Michael.

“I’ll be watching out for Ray today; you will be putting your strength to better use” he said, pushing his pickaxe into Michael’s hands before leading his mate down into the passageway.

Michael glared at the back of Ryan's head, testing the weight of the bulky diamond pick. It was made pretty decently and he wondered if it would be as easy to drive through the enchanter’s skull as he thought.

“One day, asshole” he sighed in his own language, heading down after them before the collar could start buzzing at him.

They headed through the winding caves, the air groaning in the distance and the squeaking of bats bouncing around the ceiling. Michael could see places where they had previously mined, holes and crevices cut into the stone all around them.

They passed deeper and deeper, sometimes climbing small hills before trailing even deeper again.

Finally they reached the place where the torches no longer carried on, Jack producing more and passing them around.

“Ok, we will pretty much just go for the visible stuff, and then when it’s all mined out I’ll start pointing out the hidden commodities” Jack said, eyes sweeping around the new area. It was quite a large cavern that lead into a few different tunnels “I haven’t had a chance to check the tunnels, so don’t go wandering off alone just yet”

They headed into the cavern, taking up spots and beginning to dig out the coal and iron sitting across the surface of the stone.

Michael chose a spot near a tunnel, away from the others, where he could focus on digging and not have to pay attention to Ryan's bullshit comments.

He was making quick work of a large vein of coal, the axe making light work of the stone around it. He had only ever used iron pickaxes before, so the diamond was a significant step up in efficiency.

He had managed to free the whole vein before any of the others had managed a small collection, his defined muscles loving the thorough work out.

He took a step back, wiping his brow. He still had plenty of energy, but it was humid in the cave. He took a look at Gavin, who was chipping away at a small river of iron with a smaller tool. Their eyes connected, a faint blush sitting on Gavin's cheeks before he turned back to his work with a grin.

Michael smiled, and then his eyebrows furrowed as he heard a familiar sound coming from the tunnel beside him

Lava; bubbling nearby but not exposed to them. It would probably be behind a wall of stone, but it did mean that…

He climbed into the mouth of the tunnel, about to head into it when a sharp call cut across to him

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”

He turned to Ryan, unimpressed as the man made his collar buzz harsher against his throat in warning

“Diamond”

They all looked up, Gavin and Ray interested while the gents looked unconvinced

“Diamond is never on the surface, how could you have seen it?” Jack asked, passive rather than accusatory

“Not see; know” Michael corrected, turning back to the tunnel.

He heard angry words behind him, ignoring them and the crisp energy of the collar as he ran his hand along the wall, focusing on what he was feeling and what the stone was telling him.

The others climbed up to the tunnel behind him, quickly moving over to him as he found the spot he was looking for and drew back his axe.

A hand caught it before he could swing.

“Are you mad?” Jack hissed a whisper “I said I don’t know how stable these tunnels are!”

“Diamond” Michael insisted, confused how someone who was supposed to be an expert of mining couldn’t see what was waiting below the surface there.

Jack looked at where Michael was planning to dig, running his hand over the stone and frowning.

“What makes you think it’s there? We almost never find diamond here” Jack said, turning back to look at Geoff who nodded agreement.

“All you have to do is ask the land and it will tell you” Michael said in his tongue, taking the moment of distraction to sink his axe into the stone.

Jack grabbed at Michael, shoving him away from the axe roughly in surprise. The other two gents also reacted, Ryan instinctually pulling Ray closer if the tunnel looked to collapse and Geoff gripping Jack’s shirt as if to pull him back too.

Michael growled roughly as his back slammed hard into the opposite wall of the cave, his head also connecting slightly and disorienting him enough that he fell to the ground.

Michael looking up with anger and anticipation as the group waiting for his stone strike to bring the whole place down around them, Gavin quickly coming over and kneeling beside Michael with concern.

After a few still moments it was clear they were safe from a cave-in, and Jack only then took a look at where Michael had buried the pick.

A faint glow of teal shone through, and his mouth hung open slightly as he removed the axe and scrapped out the stone fragments to reveal a section of the still buried gem.

“Holy…” Jack trailed off, flicking down a small coloured less attached to his visor and looking at the gem more closely “I’ve never seen such a high quality specimen…”

Michael grinned with amused pride, letting Gavin help him to his feet

“Diamond” he said triumphantly, looking to Geoff and Jack as they looked back dumbfounded.

He turned to Ryan in time to see his look of rage as he barrelled into Michael, knocking him back and pinning him to the wall, forearm across his throat and pressing hard as the collar sizzled against his skin.

“Do you think this is a game?” Ryan roared, Michael gasping for air and scrabbling at Ryan's arm “if you brought this tunnel down, it could have collapsed the whole system with us in it!”

“Ryan!” Gavin cried, trying to tug at Ryan's sleeve to get him to release Michael. Even Jack and Geoff were shouting for him to let go.

“I knew you were too much of a wild card to have around, you only care about yourself; you would have laughed if we had died!” Ryan hissed, pushing harder on Michael's windpipe.

His lungs were searing, his throat convulsing as he tried to both breathe and get Ryan to release him. He tried to reach out and claw at Ryan's face, but the collar bit hard with energy every time he tried to do more than grip the enchanters arm.

The shouting of the men was fading out, dark spots dancing over his vision, Gavin only a blur of green in his peripheral vision.

A deep rumbling made everyone fall silent in an instant, Ryan even pulling back slightly in surprise.

Michael sucked in breath desperately, feeling a distant tremor carrying up through the ground beneath him.

_They were shouting too loud, the earth didn’t like it_

“Get…. Out!” he wheezed, barely audible as a sharp shock rocked the ground and they were thrown to the stone bellow, Michael now free from Ryan to throw his arms over his head as the earth bellowed.

Geoff and Jack shouted to run, Gavin calling to Michael and Ray calling to Ryan as the tunnel rumbled and began to break apart, rock beginning to fall.

Michael looked up, seeing Geoff and Jack hauling the lads out of the tunnel and into the cavern as the mouth of began to crumble.

“Gavin!” he called, struggling to find his feet.

He was about to try to escape also, but he realised Ryan was still on the ground, eyes closed and body limp as a thin trail of blood ran down the side of his face from his temple.

Alive still, but not for long if Michael didn’t help. There was little chance they could make it through the stone cascade into the cavern in one piece, and they couldn’t stay so close to the mouth.

He needed to get deeper into the tunnel to try escape the collapse. He wanted more than anything to leave Ryan behind

But the way Ray would smile…

Michael kicked the discarded pickaxe further into the tunnel, grabbing handfuls of Ryan's clothes and hauling him up onto his shoulder, staggering through the tremors deep into the tunnel as the light began to get trapped behind the cave in and leave them in darkness.

As the light became less and less his feet would catch on unseen obstacles, stumbling and struggling to right himself again with Ryan's dead-weight on top of him.

One hidden rock was too big though, catching his foot completely and pitching them forward, Michael shouting out as they were thrown to the still shaking ground and everything finally went still and quiet.


	6. Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HeartSprout; fucking shit up since 1995
> 
> srsly tho, your pain filled comments give me life
> 
> mmmmmyyyeeessss tell me how my cliffhangers pain you nnnhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> mmmmmmmmaaaahhhhh my writing style makes you weep for my sweet bear child tthatsthegoodshityassssss
> 
> i live on your betrayed tears. its actually entirely by chance that my writing does this so often, i don't know where it came from, and i don't mean to cause you so much pain
> 
> heres hoping the pay off i have planned is so good you all spontaneously combust with Them Feels (tm)
> 
> go forth

Michael was woken by a violent coughing fit, his lungs desperately trying to evacuate the dust and particles that had been kicked up in the air and sucked in with his breaths

He felt heavy, like gravity had doubled on his body, and as he tried to push up onto his hands and knees he realised he could barely feel his left arm, only a dull throbbing pulse in his bicep.

He reached out in the pitch blackness, running his hand down his shoulder until it met the jagged chunk of heavy rock sitting on top of his upper arm

He grunted as he pushed it away, arm hanging limp as he sat on his haunches.

It was darker than dark, and he could hear his breaths echoing around him and drifting further into the tunnel.

There was a weak groan close by, Ryan also stirring into consciousness.

“Ryan?” Michael asked, trying to reach out with his good hand in the sounds direction.

He felt Ryan's tartan sash first, leaning closer till his hand rested on the back of Ryan's shoulder. He was lying on his stomach, head facing left towards Michael.

“Mmnn… Mogar?” Ryan's voice was strained and weak

“Torch?” Michael asked, sifting his hand around blindly in the rubble in search of one. He felt the pickaxe handle briefly, and when his hand brushed on the torches handle it burst to life making Michael grunt as he shut his eyes quickly.

When he opened them he took in the situation.

Behind them the tunnel mouth had collapsed, no light from the cavern peeking through indicating there was a lot of rubble in the way

The earth had stopped shaking, but they would have to be careful to not trigger it off again.

There was a deep gash across Michael’s left upper arm that bled sluggishly and what felt like at least a fracture, his right ankle also feeling slightly twisted

Ryan mostly just looked dirty from the cave-in and the small pieces of rubble resting over his clothes

Except for a _bad_ looking laceration above his left temple that was bleeding steadily, vibrant bruising growing around it.

“Ryan, have potion?” Michael asked, pulling himself closer to the injured man and pushing aside the debris on his right side around his pack.

Ryan gave a reply, but his frailness made it unintelligible. Michael tugged the bag out from under a rock and flipped it open

Many glass potion bottles with the stoppers still in...

All smashed, the precious liquids soaking into the fabric at the bottom of the bag as they mixed together.

“I don’t fucking need this right now” Michael muttered under his breath, checking the rest of the bag for anything that could be useful, nose twitching when his wounded arm was jostled.

The bag had only contained the potions, but it was made of soft tight weave fabric with a long, wide shoulder strap.

Using his mouth to hold half the strap he tore it from the bag, moving up to Ryan's head and trying his best to be gentle as he used it as a rudimentary binding. it was enough to apply pressure and slow the bleeding; the best that could be done right now.

“Ryan open eyes” he ordered, pressing on Ryan's shoulder gently.

The enchanter slowly blinked his eyes open, eyelids half-mast as he tried to focus of Michael leaning down in front of his face.

Michael didn’t like the way his pupils were reacting to the torch light.

“Must leave, get to surface” Michael said, tucking the torch into his waistband before lifting Ryan's left arm and drawing it up over his shoulder, struggling to stand with only one arm to hold Ryan and a weakened ankle.

“Why… are you… helping me?” Ryan asked, voice dropping to barely a whisper on some syllables, breath wheezing slightly as he was hoisted onto Michael’s back and jostled as Michael picked up the axe

“Might need to eat Ryan, keep meat fresh” Michael rumbled sarcastically, gritting his teeth as his body cried out for him to lay and rest.

They had to move though

The others wouldn’t be able to dig to them without enraging the stone again, and Ryan needed help as soon as possible or he wouldn’t make it out of the ground alive.

“Follow tunnel, find sky” Michael said in common, then changed to his clan tongue “this tunnel has to lead somewhere, we’ll have more chance by moving rather than staying”

Ryan just clung to Michael’s shirt feebly while he took them slowly through the tunnel and hopefully to somewhere good.

-

By the time they made it out of the singular tunnel and into another cavern Michael was panting heavily, teeth grit together so hard he wondered if he would ever be able to open his jaw again

With only the warmth from the small torch Ryan had begun to shiver, body trembling every few moments and small noises emerging from his nose with the tremors.

The cavern was far bigger than the one that had brought them into the previous tunnel, and many new paths led off of it from various heights.

Michael set Ryan down against a stalagmite, shucking off his hood and laying it over the man before glancing around the cave, shuffling to a few tunnels and listening to the sounds traveling through them

They were all deathly quiet, not even mob living this deep. He could hear neither lava or water, and most of them led down.

One did lead in an upwards direction slightly though, and Michael decided ‘up slightly’ was better than ‘down drastically’

He moved back over to Ryan, titling his head to the side slightly to inspect the binding.

It was soaked red, a fresh thin line trailing down the side of his head. Ryan was resting lethargically against the stone, eyes barely open and unfocused.

“Hang in there” Michael said, the only fully fluent sentence he knew probably “find sky soon”

“So… thirsty…” Ryan breathed, swallowing thickly

“Hang in there” Michael said again, not knowing what else to say.

Ryan reached out weakly, holding Michael’s wrist with barely any grip

“Why are you helping me, Mogar? You wear my collar. You would be out by now if you left me. Why?”

Michael sighed heavily, rubbing his face wearily with his good hand.

“Ray…” he said “Ray need you”

“You care about Ray?” Ryan asked, confused and surprised

“Am not feral” Michael sighed again, then pulled away the hood to lift Ryan again. He got an idea as he looked at the hoods shape.

He turned his back to Ryan, sitting on his haunches a few inches in front of the man. He lent Ryan against his back, and then flicked the hood around behind him, catching the end as it came around so it was keeping Ryan against him.

He used his teeth in place of his left hand to tie the hood across his collar, and then balancing carefully he tilted them forward and then pushed to standing, still struggling with the weight but not finding it so difficult to keep the limp man up.

“Problem solving with Michael” he said to himself in clan, picking up the torch and fitting it into the knot of hood to keep it in front of him.

As he took a moment to collect his strength, he heard Ryan say something at the end of an exhale before his weariness took him into strained sleep

“Thankyou”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on i'll refer to michaels language as 'clan' and the normal one as 'common'
> 
> e.g
> 
> "fuck you" he said in clan, then turned to Ryan "that means 'you have nice eyes'..." he added in common
> 
> ya feel?
> 
> only a few more chapters so go, but there will be more fics in the series ;P


	7. Rivulets

Michael lost a lot of time, just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as exhaustion, injury, and dehydration pushed down on him

Ryan would have moments of consciousness, sometimes mumbling something and other times just making a vague noise before falling back under.

The tunnel had headed upwards for a while, but was now mostly horizontal leading them in a winding unknown direction.

Michael’s lungs felt dryer than desert terrain in a drought, and swallowing made his throat hurt more rather than alleviate the discomfort.

On one particular step Michael’s leg decided to go on strike, giving out and dumping him to his knees.

He made a rasping noise in his throat, Ryan making a similar noise as he was jostled roughly.

“Is it... time to… get up, Ray?” Ryan asked, voice hardly there “you always… did see the... sunrise... better than me…”

“Hang in there, big guy, you have plenty more sunrises to share with him” Michael said in clan, not even making a move to stand again.

_A small rest would probably benefit them both_

He untied the hood, easing Ryan so he was lying on his back with the hood beneath his head. He was softer than a cooked root, no strength in his body as Michael got him as comfortable as possible and checked the binding.

He sighed, shuffling over to the cave wall and leaning against it, setting the torch and axe on either side of him as he rest his head back and closed his eyes.

“I wonder if we are anywhere near them” Michael pondered out loud “they have no way of knowing what direction we went in, and I have no idea how far we are from the initial cavern. I don’t even know if the rest of the cavern held together”

He looked along the tunnel, both in the direction they were heading and the way they had come. He sighed a weary breath and let his head rest to the side

“I wonder, if they do find us eventually; if Gavin will cry over my bones. I hope not. I don’t want him to cry”

Michael’s words echoed away into the tunnel, leaving them in silence with just their breathing for company

And that strange rushing noise

Michael frowned. It was quite annoying; ruining his nice peaceful rest. If he never got up again, he hoped it wouldn’t be to the sound of some kind of…

_Liquid_

Michaels eyes snapped open but he didn’t move, muscles frozen like when hunting prey. He barely even breathed, slowing it down till it hardly made a sound.

He listened

And what he could hear through the stone was liquid, not thick enough to be lava and _very close_

He pushed forward onto his knees and then turned back to the stone, pressing his good hand against it and feeling what it was telling him.

A kind of vibration, the kind from running water. _Fresh_ water

“Oh _fuck_ me, if I’m wrong about this I’m gonna fucking eat my own leg” Michael rumbled, heaving to his feet and taking up the axe, holding it right at the end of the handle to get the most from its weight.

He backed up slightly, and after sending a quick wish to the ground to not break around him again, he pushed the axe up into the air and let gravity bring it down in an arc to strike the stone.

With a sharp crack it struck, stone splitting and crumbling. A sizeable divot was created, and Michael pressed his fingers into it. The vibration of the water behind it was stronger, meaning there wasn’t much stone left between him and the life giving fluid

“Come on you _fuck_ ” Michael rumbled, raising the axe again and adding some of his own force into the down stroke, another sharp sound clattering around the walls and making Ryan groan feebly.

He tested it again

_So close, one more strike_

He raised it, arm shaking slightly as it screamed for rest.

He closed his eyes

_Clack!_

_Shynk!_

And then the sweet crisp coolness of the icy water came gushing from the new hole and into the tunnel, washing over Michael’s legs and feet and spreading across the ground.

He cried out in triumph, legs immediately giving way and dropping him down into the liquid

He scooped the best he could with one hand, sucking down the water and splashing it on his hot skin while he desperately breathed between gulps.

He turned, crawling over to Ryan who was just out of reach of the growing puddle, sitting and pulling the man’s shoulders and head onto his lap, reaching out and collecting water in his hand to bring to Ryan's mouth.

Ryan’s lips parted, letting Michael tip the water in and then swallowing weakly, letting a relieved noise out through his noise as Michael reached for another handful.

Michael helped him drink a few handfuls, Ryan's eyes opening during the last one and looking up at Michael as he used Ryan's sash to dry away the water that had spilt over his chin. Ryan was already too cold, he didn’t need to lose any more heat.

“So... good” he breathed, smiling a little at the end

“You can say that again” Michael sighed happily in clan, rubbing his hand against Ryan's arm in hope of generating some heat from friction.

Ryan’s eyebrows pulled together slightly as he looked up at Michael, and then ever so slowly reached up towards Michael’s throat.

Michael tensed slightly, and then his mouth dropped open slightly as he felt a sort of _click_ , followed by the collar falling away and dropping to the ground beside him.

He looked down at it and then back to Ryan whose eyes had closed again, smiling ever so slightly as he let his arm fall back down to his chest.

Michael’s mouth opened further to say something, and then closed again.

The water had slowed to a trickle behind them as the pressure had pushed it all into the tunnel, most of it sitting in a large puddle while small trails snaked away across the ground, changing tact often as they found the path of least resistance. Michael followed one with his eyes, watching as it headed further into the untracked tunnel.

It began to stop, pooling there, and Michael noticed that the tunnel was beginning to head upwards again, something he hadn’t noticed before.

They would need another drink in a few minutes (Michael’s muscles most definitely not upset at getting to rest a little longer)

But Michael had a feeling they could spare a few minutes

He had a feeling the tunnel would take them home


	8. Kin And Clan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ive been so busy with paintie commissions the lest few days that I keep loosing track of time and not having any left to write
> 
> but here you go!
> 
> 1-2 more chapters to go!
> 
> go forth

_The creeper moved through the trees, peeking up at the moonrise that meant it could search for food without the sun’s threat._

_It moved at its own pace, gazing over at a Lost One with vague interest. It moved with its long legs and arms that hung to the dirt, picking up a rock and carrying it for a while as if recognising the atoms it was made of like old friends_

_The creeper just moved, not hurried by anything. A Rattler came close to the creeper in its wanderings, but the creeper just hissed and it took its weary bones off in another direction._

_The creeper was following a cliff wall, glancing into the openings of caves as it passed with the interest of perhaps finding a quick meal._

_It froze at the sound of graceless movement, and looked over to another tunnel where a Flesh was dragging itself out into the fresh night, another unconcious Flesh carried on its back._

_The conscious Flesh made a strange noise before sinking down to the ground and too falling from the waking plane_

_The creeper hissed with curiosity, amazed to find two morsels so unprotected. The Flesh usually moved in groups, or were very cautious of the night creatures that would hunt them with little hesitation._

_The creeper began approaching, sizing them up._

_Another Flesh, a few meters further away, suddenly appeared from the trees, looking relieved to find the two morsels._

_The Flesh then noticed the creeper, and the creeper noticed the Flesh was dressed like one of his kind_

_-Stand aside from my meal-_

_-You will not harm them- the Flesh spoke back, stunning the creeper with its knowledge of its language_

_-If you know of my kin, then you know of my power- it replied, flashing slightly in a warning and threat_

_The Flesh reached up to pull down its facial coverings_

_-I have known of your fire; I am not afraid- the Flesh spoke, eyes holding the creepers gaze with an unwavering determination and strength_

_The creeper hesitated for a moment._

_It knew the creeper's words. It dressed in its colours. It knew of its fire, perhaps more intimately than the creeper did itself_

_it paused a moment longer before coming to a_ _decision_

_-go in peace, and I will go in mine- the creeper said, before backing away into the trees with the hopes of an equally filling meal waiting for it somewhere else_

_\--_

_… Mogar! …_

_… Guys! Over here! ..._

_… Mogar, please, open your eyes! ..._

Michael tried. He put everything he had into it, tried to fit back into his body and make it work for him

He was too tired

…

Michael woke for a few moments at a time, eyes blinking open for mere seconds but taking in no information.

He tried to speak, tried to even just make a vague noise, but none came out

The rumbling lulled him back under

…

Michael was woken by something cool pressing to his lips, letting them part so the sweet liquid could pass into his mouth and down his throat.

He had a feeling like this wasn’t the first time, but was asleep again before he could ponder it further

…

…

…

Michael groaned out a long aching noise, giving voice to his muscles and joints.

A cool hand rested on his forehead, and he sighed happily at the contrast in temperature with his flushed skin.

“Are you awake, Mogar?”

He managed to open his eyes most of the way, blinking the haze from his vision till he was looking up at the familiar face of Ray.

“It would be pretty disappointing if you were a dream” Michael croaked out in clan, and then realised Ray wouldn’t have understood his joke “yeah” he added in common

Ray smiled, pushing his fingers through Michael’s hair despite it sticking into sweaty clumps

“I think it’s probably redundant to ask how you feel” Ray said, sitting back. Michael realised they were in a cart being pulled by Geoff’s horse, Michael laying out under a thin blanket and Ray sitting beside him, resting on one of the carts short walls. Geoff was walking beside the horse, not looking back as he led it through the trees.

Michael frowned when he realised they were the only three in the current party

“Where Ryan?” Michael asked “Jack?”

_Gavin?_

“They went ahead of us. They needed to get Ryan back to camp quickly, the potions we had on hand weren’t strong enough for his injuries” Ray said, pausing before adding “you saved his life”

Michael looked up at the sky, watching the sun as it climbed towards its peak.

He saved Ryan's life. He had known that was what he was doing.

He wasn’t saving himself from Ryan's wrath by doing the man a favour. He wasn’t making sure the collar wouldn’t shock him if he left Ryan behind, something he hadn’t even through about till now.

He had thought he had been doing just for Ray, just so Ray would still have a reason to smile like that.

But really, Michael guessed he was mostly just tired of death.

Tired of people dying for no reason, tired of people killing for no reason.

Tired of his history being washed away and replaced with the word _feral,_ with the word _killer_

_‘For now the easiest thing to do is just not cause trouble and prove to him you are more than he thinks’_

What did Ryan think he was now?

Michael let his eyes close, a weary breath curling away into the air

“We all need find the sky” Michael said in common

And then in clan added;

“There is enough sky for all of us”

Ray understood what he said


	9. For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this
> 
> Go forth

Michael woke gently to the sound of Gavin speaking softly nearby

“… have liked her, she was so kind. She made my coverings for me, and then remade them after the fire. She blamed herself for not being there to save me from it, even though the chief told her to go to the other village. She usually wrangled the Creepers, so when that one went off she wasn’t there to put out the fire before it spread”

He paused, Michael hearing him huff a small laugh with a smile in his voice

“It might not have been wise to build all our dwellings from wood, being a village of gun powder harvesters ‘n all”

Gavin was quiet a moment, letting out a heavy sigh

“We were alone for a long while, and then when she fell to that cave spider I carried on in solitude. It was a miracle that I happened to be by that stream at the same time as Jeremy. He was a wandering potions dealer, and he was on his way here when he asked if I wanted to tag along. I ended up here and never left. There wasn’t much point…”

Gavin became silent again, and Michael realised Gavin had threaded his hand into Michaels, thumb stoking his knuckles softly

Michael decided to let him know he was awake

“You have a nice voice”

Gavin started, eyes wide with surprise when Michael finally opened his to look up at him.

“Mogar!” Gavin beamed, Michael seeing slight tears well in his eyes despite the lad trying to force them back.

“Sweet Gavvy” Michael croaked in common, voice hoarse.

He could tell he must have been given a few various potions, but his body was still harmonizing with them to get him to full health again.

Gavin took Michael’s hand in both of his now, holding it close to his chest

“I was so worried about you! We had no idea if you guys had survived the tunnel collapse, and we had to come all the way back to the camp to get a dowsing compass before we could start searching” Gavin said, speech gaining speed as he progressed.

Michael hushed him, smiling up at Gavin.

They were in a dwelling, the materials matching the outside of Gavin's dwelling. Paintings covered nearly every inch of the walls, and aside from a simple chest there was only the bed that Michael was laying on, warm covers drawn up to his chest.

It smelt like Gavin and Michael wanted to stay in its embrace forever.

“Am safe now” he said, then asked “Ryan?”

Gavin smiled

“He’ll live. It took us a while to figure out which ones were his best health potions; he’s terrible at labelling them. But we got him what he needed and now he is just nursing one heck of a migraine”

Michael nodded, pleased.

“We were pretty surprised to see you had saved him, and even more so that he had taken the collar off. I’m guessing you had some heart-to-hearts down there?” Gavin grinned

Michael let out a breathy laugh, letting his eyes close wearily

“Could say that”

He was confused at how quiet Gavin was, and opened his eyes again to see Gavin looking at him, a sad look in his eyes.

“I was so worried” he said, barely a whisper.

Michael’s eyebrows pinched, pulling back the corner of the cover and moving over a bit. Gavin didn’t hesitate before he was sliding in beside Michael, hugging to his side with his head resting on Michael’s shoulder as he held him close.

“Am ok. Will always be there for Gavin” Michael said, pressing his lips to the top of Gavin's head.

Gavin looked up at him, their eyes holding the others gaze for a few gentle moments

“You aren’t collared anymore, Mogar. Will you leave?”

_Will you leave me?_

Michael again found himself not knowing how to craft common words how he wanted

He reached up, softly pulling aside Gavin's covers, neither of them closing their eyes

“Will always be there for Gavin” he said, gently cupping Gavin's jaw and tracing his thumb across Gavin's cheek and then down over his jaw.

He traced over the different textures of skin, Gavin's lips parting slightly as his thumb moved up to run along the lads bottom lip

“Will always be there for _you_ ”

Their lips met, and Michael knew he would do whatever it took.

To keep Gavin by his side, to keep Gavin's sweet smile and bright voice in his life

To keep Gavin from having a new reason to have that pain behind his eyes

When the kiss broke their foreheads came together, eyes resting shut as they shared breath for a few moments

“Sweet Gavvy” Michael breathed

“Mighty Mogar” Gavin replied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter sorry, this theatre show and a few other things happening rn have me absolutely exhausted
> 
> when i've finished this fic, i'll be finishing COTO and then start working on some new fics. there is another fic planned for this AU and then one for the Heartsprout Hybird au. then there will be some others of various au and whatnot


	10. Sunrise Sunset

Michael sighed happily, hugging Gavin a little tighter as they sat outside his dwelling, enjoying the warm afternoon sun.

They had set out a blanket on the ground, Michael reclining against the wall and Gavin sitting between his legs, resting back against Michael with the clan man’s arms around his middle, Gavin's arms resting atop them

Gavin dozed lightly, head resting back on Michael’s shoulder with face turned inwards so his forehead touched Michael’s chin.

Michael nuzzled his nose into Gavin’s coverings slightly, the man stirring slightly but not waking.

“It’s nice to see him like this”

Michael looked up at Ryan, the man standing further along the wall. His hands were clasped behind his back and his back was straight, but Michael could see an anxious look behind his eyes.

“It’s nice to see him find someone he can call home” Ryan continued before looking up around the ring of dwellings and then following the lookout tower up with his eyes.

Michael smiled softly, leaning his head to the side to invite Ryan closer. He hesitated a moment before moving a few steps closer and sitting down, leaning on the wall of Gavin's house too.

“I want him be happy” Michael smiled, nuzzling the top of Gavin's head again, feeling the fabric on his nose and cheek.

“I’m positive he is”

There was a few moments of quiet, Michael feeling Ryan's nerves rolling off his shoulders.

“Ryan sees Mogar?” Michael asked, the enchanter looking confused

“What do you mean?” he asked

“In cave, you say Ray always see sunrise better than you” Michael said.

Ryan’s head tilted slightly

“I don’t recall” he frowned, lips pursing “it must have been part of my delirium”

Michael shook his head firmly

“Ryan thought him talking to Ray, but words true” Michael said, struggling with his own words

“You meant that even though he’s blind, he sees meaning where you don’t” Michael said in clan

Ryan's eyebrows pinched together

“I haven’t figured out any of your words, Mogar” Ryan said.

Michael sighed and thought harder

“Ray grow rose. Ray not see rose… but does not matter… rose still good” Michael struggled to fit the words to his thoughts.

Ryan's eyebrows smoothed out, the man turning his head to look out into the area

“He’s always seen the value in things, seen the true beauty of everything where I couldn’t. I never understood why he grew roses. He can’t see them and doesn’t have much affection for the scent, but is always attentive and caring of their needs” Ryan said, eyes glazing over as he got lost in thought

“I always asked him why, and he just said ‘because’. It took me a long time to understand” Ryan let out a heavy sigh “just because he can’t see them, doesn’t mean they’ve lost their value. Just because they offer him nothing of use, doesn’t mean they are pointless”

Another moment of calm silence

“Ryan sees Mogar”

Ryan looked up, Michael catching sight of the faint scar left from his head injury in the caves.

His impossibly blue eyes connected with Michael’s rich brown ones.

“I’ve never been good at being a person. I’ve never been good at not getting lost in my own head” Ryan said “I’ve been many places and seen many things, but I realise that a lot of what I thought I learnt in my travels must be wrong. _Is_ wrong. And I’m…”

Ryan trailed off, looking down at his hands in his lap.

“In the caves I thought I was with Ray, and he was telling me to wake up. I don’t think he meant that it was morning I needed to wake up for…”

Their gaze’s met again

“I’m… I’m sorry, Mogar. I could make a thousand excuses about where I’ve come from and the lies I’ve been fed, but that doesn’t take away the pain _I_ caused you. The way _I_ treated you without any good reason, without paying attention to what _I_ could see…”

Michael slipped his arm out from under Gavin's, reaching his hand out to Ryan.

The enchanter looked at it surprised for a moment, before reaching out and taking it, following Michael’s lead as he changed the orientation of the handshake so they were grasping the base of each other’s thumbs rather than the whole palm.

He looked up to meet Michael’s gaze, enjoying the more personal way of shaking hands

_The way Michael’s clan would have done it_

“I think I do see you now, Mogar” Ryan said softly “and if you do stay here longer, I would enjoy the chance to learn. Learn what you can teach me, about you and about myself.”

They took their hands back, Michael returning his to its previous position.

Gavin still slept, oblivious to the conversation.

Michael wondered what he was dreaming about.

“Mogar will not leave Gavin” he said, drawing the man gently closer “Mogar will stay”

Ryan bobbed his head, both men looking at the sun as it reached the tree line in the distance

Michael wondered what the future would bring

But the word _feral_ had taken one step closer to setting with the sun

And that was a big enough step to satisfy him for now

He had time

He had Gavin

And maybe, once again, he had found a home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you just have to GOUGE THAT CHEST CAVITY OPEN AND YANK AWAY AT THOSE HEART STRINGS
> 
> are ya feeling it now, mr krabs
> 
> thankyou so much to everyone who has left comments and kudos, i am endlessly overwhelmed by the positivity my writing has been received with and i will keep writing as long as you amazing people want me to (within reason ;] )
> 
> if any of you have a few coins to spare, i'm a freelance artist and any donations to my paypal help me keep doing what i do  
> Heart.sprout.art@gmail.com


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